Follow Your Heart
by ValSegan
Summary: Ginny has vowed to move on when Harry left her in his search for the missing horcruxes. Now he's back, and he wants her back, but Ginny refuses him. Professor McGonagall has asked him to be the new DADA teacher.. And Ginny still has one more year to go...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to JK Rowling. Only the plot is mine!**

* * *

"He's calling for you, Ginny."

Ginevra Weasley looked up from staring at her shoes to meet her mother's sad, piercing gaze. She didn't have to ask who "he" was. She had been sitting outside Harry Potter's private room in St. Mungo's for the better part of the last fourteen days. She didn't really want to be there. She had made a vow the year before to forget about Harry after he left her to search for…whatever it was he was searching for with her brother Ron, and her best friend, Hermione Granger. She vowed. And she wasn't anything if she wasn't stubborn. But her mother had insisted she come. And here she was.

Ginny had found Harry two weeks ago on the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest where he had faced Voldemort in their final duel, a few hours after the battle that took place on Hogwarts' grounds. Harry had finally defeated Voldemort, but at a price. Ginny wasn't likely to forget the image of a battered Harry as he lay there, unconscious and barely breathing. He was rushed to St. Mungo's for intensive healing. In the two weeks he was there, he was healed physically. The trouble was he wasn't waking up.

She knew that there was something her family wasn't telling her. She just didn't press them about it. If she had to know, she figured they would tell her.

Thankfully, her entire family had survived the war, and no one had sustained any serious injuries. The most extensive of the injuries had been Ron's, and that was because he was at Harry's side the entire time. Now, Ron had been completely healed for one week, but Harry was still…well, still.

Ignoring her daughter's silence, Molly Weasley continued. "Please go to him, dear. It's the least you can do." She choked on her words. "We've tried everything else."

"So you keep telling me," replied Ginny tonelessly. Her mother kept trying to convince her to see Harry, but she had always refused. Hell, her entire family, Hermione, and even Professor Lupin had talked to her about visiting Harry. It wasn't that she didn't want to. She did! It was just that she was afraid; afraid, that if she laid eyes on Harry, her resolve would break down, and he would get to wrap her around his finger again, and do as he pleased with her. Ginny had vowed that she wouldn't let that happen anymore when he came back from fighting Voldemort.

"Please, Ginny."

Ginny started at the desperate tone in her mother's voice. "Mum -."

"Ginny, he's dying." Tears started to pour down Mrs. Weasley's face, already grieving for the boy she considered as one of her sons. "He's dying."

Ginny felt the cold envelope her. _Harry was dying._ "What's wrong with him, Mum? Why won't he wake up? Can't they stabilize him longer until we find a cure?"

"I'm a-afraid there i-is no c-cure," Mrs. Weasley stammered. "The h-healers…they have a…theory. And Hermione…agrees…with them."

"What is it?" Ginny asked curiously. She might have decided not to pursue any romantic thoughts about Harry, but she didn't want him to die. If they had a theory they could work on, then maybe…

Mrs. Weasley took a deep breath. "They think -."

"Mum?"

Both women looked up to see Ron and Hermione coming out of Harry's room. Ginny winced at the coldness in Ron's blue eyes as he glanced at her. He was angry at Ginny for abandoning Harry in his time of need. Ron just didn't understand.

"He's getting worse," Hermione whispered hoarsely, her voice sounding like she had been crying for a length of time, which she probably had done. Her eyes were red and puffy around the edges, and her hair seemed even bushier than before. "He's screaming -."

"Screaming?" Ginny interrupted. No one had told her about any screaming. She certainly hadn't heard any screaming from Harry's room. Silencing charm, she supposed.

"Why do you care, Ginny?" Ron said harshly with an angry wave of his hand. "It's not like you're clamoring to get him out of the bloody coma he's in."

Ginny didn't answer. Anger was what Ron used to deal with his grief. She knew that, and it wouldn't do to enrage him any further.

"I thought you loved him," Ron continued relentlessly.

"Ron!" hissed Hermione. "Please don't start here - ."

"Don't start?" Ron exclaimed. He whirled around to face his girlfriend. "DON'T START? HARRY'S DYING AND YOU DON'T WANT ME TO START?" Hermione slipped her hand into Ron's hand and gave it a squeeze. It miraculously calmed him down. Ron hung his head. "I'm sorry. It's just…I feel so helpless."

"What screaming?" Ginny asked a little hysterically. Maybe this was the thing they had been holding from her.

"Ginny -," Hermione began, taking a step forward, and kneeling down so she was face to face with her, and started wringing her hands. "Harry has unconsciously refused to let anyone touch him. He's screaming for you. For the past two weeks. But you…" She began to sob uncontrollably and Ron had to bend down to comfort her.

_She had refused to see him._ Ginny's eyes widened in disbelief. Guilt began to course through her body. "What?"

"Ginny," Her mother spoke again. She seemed to be in much better control of her emotions. "The healers…They think that Harry used up all of the love in him when he killed V-Voldemort." She sniffled. "There's none left. And it's eating him alive. He won't accept any love from any of us. Not Hermione, not Ron, not Remus…not even me." With that, she began to sob again.

"You have to see him, Ginny," Ron said his voice thick with emotion, "even if you don't…love…him anymore." He took a deep breath as if steeling himself to say what he was about to. "At least you've given him his last wish. And he can…" Ron choked. "He can die peacefully."

* * *

**AN: Tell me what you think!**

**-Val**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Ginny took a deep breath as she stood outside Harry's room. She had promised her mother, Ron and Hermione that she would go to see Harry. She had been trying to do so for the past ten minutes, getting up from her chair across the hall, walking to Harry's door, and then, losing her nerve and running back to the relative safety of her seat. Only to repeat the process again.

_Get a grip, Weasley._ Ginny chided herself. _It's only Harry._

Right. Maybe if she told herself that often enough, it would start to come true. He had never been just "only Harry" to her. He had always been something more; starting from the time her mother told her bedtime stories about how he had brought about the first downfall of Voldemort, up to the time Ron met him and became his best friend. She remembered the fool she made herself out to be in front of Harry whenever he was around in those early years. Afterwards, she got used to him, became his friend, got to know the real Harry Potter, and fell in love with him.

_No, Ginny. Don't think about that. You don't love him anymore._ Ginny told herself. He broke your heart.

She thought back to the wedding day of her eldest brother, Bill. That was the day that Harry told her…

-  
_"Ginny, would you dance with me, please?"_

_Ginny looked up from her conversation with Hermione, her heart hitching up to her throat. She recognized the voice even before she saw the face. It was the voice that haunted her dreams day and night ever since Dumbledore's funeral._

_Harry was standing next to the table, looking incredibly handsome in his black formal dress robes, his expression unreadable, his normally bright green eyes were dark and sullen. She didn't understand why he was talking to her now, when he had pulled all stops and avoided her ever since he, Ron, and Hermione arrived yesterday at the Burrow for the wedding. They had been off somewhere, doing Merlin knows what. She didn't understand why Ron and Hermione could accompany Harry while she had to stay at home and wallow in her misery._

_"Gin?" he pressed when Ginny didn't answer._

_Ginny looked nervously at Hermione, who gave her a knowing look and an encouraging smile. She turned her attention to Harry, nodded silently, got up, and allowed Harry to lead her to the dance floor. A small shock of electricity traveled from her elbow, where Harry touched her, to all the parts of her body. _Merlin. He had such an effect on her!

_They reached the dance floor, just as the music changed, and the singer - Ginny didn't know who, but was quite thankful that it wasn't Celestina Warbeck - began singing a song with a very slow beat._

_An uncomfortable look passed in front of Harry's face for a moment, before he gave a slight shake of his head, and took her into his arms, keeping the space between them, large enough for a fully-grown man to slip through. Harry started to lead her into the dance, and Ginny wordlessly followed._

It has always been like that. _Ginny thought to herself._ Harry leading, and me following.

_"What is it?" Harry asked her, his voice soft._

_"Nothing," came her reply._

_Harry said nothing. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. She felt him take in a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. "You look very pretty today."_

_Ginny could have sworn her heart stopped beating. Blood rushed to her face, and she could feel the blush coming on to her cheeks. "Thanks," she mumbled. "So do you. Handsome, I mean." She silently cursed herself for her nervousness. Hadn't she overcome this stage in their relationship by now?_

What relationship? _A traitorous voice in the back of her head piped up._ He broke up with you, remember?

_"I can always tell when you're thinking something, you know," Harry told her, smiling a bit, his green eyes showing some of the warmth they always held for her in the past. She could tell he was pleased by her stammering, although she couldn't figure out how. "Right, now, I think that whatever it is, it's highly amusing."_

_Ginny's heart skipped another beat at the smile on Harry's face. She hadn't seen him smile in a very long time. She smiled shyly back. "I was thinking that I'd probably follow you to the ends of the earth, if I could."_

_Harry's smile instantly faded, his eyes growing wide, and fearful all of a sudden before clouding over, and becoming expressionless again. He stopped dancing, and his arms gripped her from where they rested around her waist. "No, you can't, Ginny!" He then dropped his hands to his sides and stalked off the dance floor without another word._

_"Harry!" Ginny quickly followed him, not wanting him to close off from her again. She was determined not to let Harry push her out of his life anymore. She belonged by his side. She knew that. Hell, she suspected he knew that. "Harry, wait!" Not caring about the curious stares she was getting from her brother's guests, she took off at a run, her gold dress robes swishing about her legs. She stumbled a bit, but regained her footing, and slowed down at a more even pace, damning the confining dress robes._

_Ginny saw Harry turn sharply and furiously stalk towards Mr. Weasley's shed, not paying any attention to her._

_"Harry!"_

_Harry turned around abruptly. He had now reached trees located behind the shed. "Go back to the party, Ginny." He started to walk past the trees and into the clearing behind them._

_Ginny continued following him, anyway, and found him sitting on a tree stump, his face buried in his hands. She stepped forward, and she felt, more than saw, Harry tense up, his head and back snapping to attention. "It's me," she called out, and walked towards him. Harry relaxed slightly, but kept his back turned from her._

_"I told you to go back."_

_She ignored him, and continued walking. She stopped and kneeled down on the ground in front of him, sitting back on her legs. She took his hands in hers. "Silly, I just told you I'd follow you anywhere." It was probably foolish of her to mention that now, when it was obviously what made Harry so angry, but she felt she had to make light of the situation, somehow._

_"No, you can't, Ginny," Harry answered her without emotion. "I have to do things…dangerous things -."_

_"I can help you -."_

_"NO!" Harry pulled his hands out of hers. "You have to stay here. You have to stay safe!"_

_"Harry!" Ginny protested. "I want to help you. I'm willing to help you!"_

_"No," Harry repeated vehemently. "Stay here. I have to know that you're safe to do the things I have to do."_

_"What do you have to do?" Ginny changed the subject abruptly, hoping for some information. She's help Harry whether he wanted to or not. She wasn't about to stand around when the boy…no, _man _she loved risked his life. She wasn't, and would never be, the damsel-in-distress type of girl. Just ask her six brothers._

_"I have to find the -" Harry caught himself before giving too much away. "I can't tell you."_

_"Do Ron and Hermione know?"_

_Harry hesitated, before nodding his head._

_Ginny exploded. "How come they know, but I can't know? Harry, I love you as much as they do! Probably even more! How can you risk your life without even telling me what you're going to do?" Tears started prickling the back of her eyes. "Let me in, Harry. Let me help you. You know I can help you."_

_Harry's eyes were wide in surprise, and his mouth was hanging slightly open. Ginny belatedly realized what she had just said, but braced herself for whatever it is that was coming. She had never said those three words to Harry before, and she certainly wasn't going to take it back now when it was exactly how she felt about him. She stood up, crossed her arms over her chest, and glared at him defiantly, daring him to contradict what she said with a resounding 'no'._

_"I…I…" Harry stammered. He let out a long breath. "I don't deserve your love, Ginny. I don't deserve you. I have no future. You should find someone else who can give you what you need."_

_"What if what I need is you?"_

_"Please don't be stubborn, Gin."_

_"You're the one being stubborn!" said Ginny hotly. "I know you have to go after Voldemort. I know you can never be at peace until he's gone." Her expression softened. "Let me come with you, Harry."_

_"Ginny -."_

_"I won't hear it, Harry. You want me by your side. I can feel it. Follow your heart, Harry." Ginny wondered if she was assuming too much by saying that. She wanted to be by his side. She wasn't entirely sure if the feeling was mutual._

_The only sound to be heard was the rustling of the leaves as the wind blew._

_"What I want and what is going to happen are two very different things," Harry said, his voice soft. "If there's one thing that I've learned by staying at the Dursleys', it's that I can never get what I want."_

_Ginny was silent. Damn those Dursleys to hell and back. What had they done to Harry?_

_"And I can't give you what you want," Harry went on. "Not while Voldemort's shadow is looming over me. And if it comes to that, I'm not even sure if I can live through it all." He shook his head. "You see, Ginny, you mean too much to me. And I would be more at ease if I knew you were safe and sound. And if to be that you have to be far from me, then, so be it."_

_"I won't be waiting for you when you get back." Ginny had no idea what made her say that. She supposed she thought that if she could scare Harry into thinking that she wouldn't be waiting for him to claim her love when he defeated Voldemort (and she had no doubt that he would), he would jump at the chance to accept her now._

_"I won't be here when you get back," Ginny repeated. "I'll have moved on." She stared into Harry's unreadable green eyes. Was it only a couple of months ago that she had been able to look into Harry's eyes and know what he had been thinking in moments? "Either you accept me now, or forget about ever having me. Decide, Harry."_

_Harry was silent for a long moment. "Will you promise to be safe?"_

_Hope leapt into Ginny's heart as Harry said those words. She was going to let her come with him! "Of course, Harry."_

_Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes, as if steeling himself from saying something very difficult. "Then, Gin, I…" He took another deep breath, then squared his shoulders. "I hope you have a nice, long and happy life."_

_He bent down, gave her a chaste kiss on the lips, and then he was gone._

_Stunned, Ginny would later wonder how she managed to get back to the reception party, and say goodbye to everyone properly. After the guests had gone, Ginny went up to her room, threw herself on her bed and started crying._

_Sometime later Hermione entered, and she felt herself being pulled into the older girl's arms. Ginny couldn't do anything but sob violently against her friend._

_"Professor McGonagall told us that Hogwarts will be reopening next term," Hermione whispered softly, when Ginny's sobs started to dwindle. "I've convinced Harry to go back to Hogwarts to finish his seventh year." She absentmindedly rubbed Ginny's back in a comforting manner. "Of course, his decision for staying might have been because Professor McGonagall found Professor Dumbledore's secret library hidden inside the Headmaster's office. That, and she offered Harry, Ron and me the Defense Against the Dark Arts post._

_"We would be teaching defensive spells, and some attacking spells." Hermione continued when Ginny didn't respond. Her sobs had died down, but she was still quiet. "Sort of like the DA, but Professor McGonagall seems to think that Hogwarts is a prime target, despite all the extra protection spells and wards being placed on it. She and Professor Flitwick have spent the entire summer putting up all those extra spells. She wants the students to be prepared for all eventualities"_

_"What's does Harry have to do, Hermione?" Ginny blurted out. "What is it that you aren't telling me?"_

_Hermione paled. "I…I can't tell you, Ginny. I promised Harry…"_

_"I see," Ginny replied. She pulled away from Hermione's embrace. "I'm going to sleep."_

_She hadn't really slept that night. She stayed awake thinking of what happened between her and Harry earlier in the clearing. Maybe she shouldn't have presented Harry with that ultimatum. She should have just told him that she would be waiting for him. Regret began to course through her veins._

_She was just about to throw down her covers, go to Harry and tell him that she hadn't meant all of the things she had said when she heard Hermione get up, and quietly start dressing and packing her things._

They were leaving!_ Ginny realized with a sick feeling in her heart, which was quickly replaced by anger. _They weren't even going to say goodbye!

_Ginny watched from her window as the three of them walk out of the Burrow, and start towards the boundaries of the wards so that they could apparate away. She saw Harry glance back towards her window, and Ginny met his gaze. He turned away, and apparated to who knew where with his two best friends._

_It was five long weeks before Ginny saw him next; back at Hogwarts when school started, but they pretended that they didn't even know each other. Hermione was the one who taught her class. Sometimes, Ron would come, but he was more of a comic relief at teaching than anything. She learned from other students that they had all three of them as teachers interchangeably, and that Harry's classes were the best. She didn't have to be Hermione to figure out why Harry was avoiding her class._

Ginny shook herself away from her reverie. Putting up all of her defenses, she pushed open Harry's hospital door.

* * *

**A/N: So here is the second chapter. I'm so so sorry for the delay! I've just been so busy this summer traveling and visiting relatives. But I promise updates are going to be more frequent from now on! Anyway, tell me what you think!**


End file.
